As predicted by WorldWatch some time back and now confirmed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) a 3% global crude demand is expected this year, the biggest decline since 1981.The global demand for crude will decline as much as 2.56 million barrels per day; demand will be at 83.2 million barrels per day.This new prediction by the IEA results in an estimated drop of 200 thousand barrels per day over the last forecast last month of Aril.The recent crude price increase that reached the $60 mark this week, a first time since November 2008, cannot be taken as a sign of a recovery in crude prices, as the fundamentals continue weakWorldWatch reports that OPEC also increased production in Aril by 270 thousand barrels per day.Crude markets reacted to this news and prices dropped, New York fell 1, 62% to $57, 05 while Brent fell 1, 29% to $56, 60...Yet Portugal continues to be rocked by the oil companies that have once more in a period of a week increased the final consumer price twice..The players are always the same the energy companies like Galp,BP.Repsol and Cepsa continue to inflate oil prices for the consumer, Portugal is facing ever harder times as corruption at all levels is now a daily routine from the Free case to the oil companies scamming motorist with ever higher prices. Curious is the fact that elections are at hand and the population will now face the opportunity to replace existing government with one that works for the people and not the oil companies.

Last year my brothers car started making a terrible noise. He felt that he just made it home because the noise had gotten louder and louder. He could even smell and see smoke as he pulled into our driveway. Feeling lucky to have gotten home he parked the car. At this point we were not thinking anything about the auto A/C compressor.There are a lot of things I do in life well but working on cars is not my area. For a whole year, yes a whole year, that car stayed parked thinking we were going to have an enormous repair bill.

The population of Portugal are one of the richest people in the world, a comparison with people living in New York reveled the following;

In Portugal the cost for petrol is three times more than in the US, electricity, cell phone calls, gas,water are 80% more expensive than in the US.Bank transactions, credit cards and commisions are three times more expensive than in the US.In the US a car that costs $12.000 in Portugal they pay for the same car $20.000, $8.000 the government receive as a "present".In New York they have 6% Income Tax nothing compared to the 20%Income Tax paid in Portugal, including municipal taxes.In Portugal they also have luxury taxes e.g. petrol,gas,beer,cigarets,wine etc, making these produts in some cases as much as 300% more expensive tha its original value.There are also taxes on salaries,rent, new cars and all cars pay a circulation tax, personal goods and companies assets, water,gas,electricity ...They even have taxes for the water meter,gas meter,electricity meter !!!If a private bank goes bust, public funds are used to protect the Bank.Money is always available despite the roberies, fiscal corruption, government corruption, municipal corruption.In Portugal huge unrealistic salaries are paid to public servents and Employees that work for companies with links to the government.In the US earnings below $3.000 (€2.000) a month per person dont pay income tax, in Portugal there is tax for eveything...Everything is taxed three times...when produced,when purchased by the retailer and when purchesed by the consumer.